Cylindrical magazine retaining device

ABSTRACT

A retaining device for retaining a cylindrical magazine on a turntable. A first retainer which is brought into direct engagement with the bottom of the magazine, is connected by way of a spring with a second retainer provided on the turntable. The first retainer is movable radially and tangentially of the turntable relative to the second retainer against the force of the spring.

United States Patent 1 Okano Jan. 16, 1973 [S4] CYLINDRICAL MAGAZINE [5 6] References Cited RETAINING DEVICE 3, V V We UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Takeshi Okano, Nishinoiya, Japan 2,937,916 5/1960 Hohnecker ..346/l37 2,662,804 12/1953 Hutton 274/39 R X [73 Asslgnee' f 3,594,875 7/1971 Sanow ..274/39 R Keisha, Ashigarakani-gun, .7 Kanagawa ken"lapan Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell [22] Filed: May 4, 1971 Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher 21 A LN 140,155 1 pp 0 57 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A retaining device for retaining a cylincirical maga2ine on a turntable. A first retainer which [8 brought into May 18, 1970 Japan ..45/48078 direct engagement i the bottom of the magazine is connected by way of a spring with a second retainer [52] U.S. Cl ..312/97.l, 274/39 provided on the turntable The fi t retainer i [51] Int. Cl. ..A47f l/OO ble radially and tangentially of the turntable relative to [58] Fleld of Seamh "312/10, 1 the second retainer against the force of the spring.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANIS 1915 I 3711; 172

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a device for retaining a cylindrical magazine on a turntable and more specifically relates to a device by which a cylindrical magazine having a number of radial sections and rotated for the retrieval of the information stored therein is positively retained in a predetermined position on a turntable.

. 2. Description of the Prior Art A cylindrical magazine having a number of radial sections and rotated for the retrieval of the information stored therein, has been known heretofore. This type of magazine has usually been retained on a turntable and exchangeable. The retaining means has been designed to fixedly support the magazine on the turntable.

However, such retaining means had the disadvantage that, since the retaining portion thereof is not visible when the magazine is mounted on the turntable, it has been difficult to retain the magazine in a correct position and in a positive manner.

Thus, a device has been desired which is capable of quickly positively retaining a magazine of the type described on a turntable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved magazine retaining device to meet the above desire.

Namely, the primary object of the invention is to provide a retaining device for quickly and positively retaining a cylindrical magazine on a turntable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining device which is so designed that a magazine can be retained in a predetermined position on a turntable merely by rotating said magazine on said turntable, no matter in what position said magazine is mounted on the turntable.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a retaining device which is provided. with means for alleviating the shock which a magazine undergoes when the magazine is retained on a turntable by rotating it.

In order to attain these objects, according to the present invention there is provided a retaining device comprising a first retainer to be brought into direct engagement with the bottom of a magazine and a second retainer provided on a turntable on which said magazine is to be retained, said first and second retainers being in engagement with each other through a spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view, as viewed from the bottom side, of a cylindrical magazine to be retained by the retaining device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a turntable to support the retaining device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the retaining device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first retainer of the retaining device of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second retainer of the retaining device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a cylindrical magazine which has a hole 2 at the center, a lock pin 3 at the peripheral edge portion and two electric contacts 4, 4 at optional locations of the underside thereof.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 designates a turntable which has on the upper side thereof a concentric raised portion 6, with a stud 7 provided at the center thereto which is to be received in the hole 2 in the magazine 1, and electric contacts 8, 8 which are contacted by the electric contacts 4, 4 respectively when the magazine 1 is retained in a predetermined position.

On the turntable 5 is provided a magazine retaining device as shown in FIG. 3. The magazine retaining device comprises a first retainer which is brought into direct contact with the bottom of the magazine 1, and a second retainer 91 which is provided on the turntable 5 and supports the first retainer 90. The first retainer 90 is movable vertically and longitudinally relative to the second retainer 91 and also movable tangentially of the turntable. The movements of the first retainer 90 in the respective directions are controlled resiliently by a spring.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first retainer 90 consists essentially of an elongated plate member 16 having a slot 17a in one end, a circular hole 17b in the other end and a relatively large aperture 22 in the central portion thereof. The end extremity of the plate member 16 adjacent the circular hole 1711 has a curvature greater than the circumferential curvature of the turntable 5, and a recess 18 is formed centrally of said end. Further, a pin 19 is provided on the underside of the plate member 16 at a location inwardly of the circular hole 17b.

The second retainer 91, as shown in FIG. 5, is composed of two levers I1, 12 which are pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 10 at one of the ends thereof. The levers extend on both sides of the raised portion 6 of the turntable 5 and are biased towards each other by a tension spring 14, with the inner walls 11a 12a of the other ends thereof clamping a pin 13 fixed on the turntable so as to form a gap between the other ends. The pivot pin 10 is provided on the turntable 5 at a location which is at a greater distance from the central stud 7 than the distance between the hole 2 and the lock pin 3.

On the raised portion 6 are provided a pair of plate springs 15, 15 which urge the first retainer 90 upwards so as to prevent the pin 13 on the turntable 5 from being received in the hole 17b of the first retainer 90 when the magazine is mounted thereon. The plate spring 15 is formed at a portion thereof with a retainer hole 20a for anchoring a tension spring 20 which is provided for biasing the first retainer 90 in a direction towards its end having the curvature. Also provided on the raised portion 6 is a fixed projection 21 which limits the tangential rotation of the first retainer 90.

FIG. 3 shows the first retainer 90 and the second retainer 91 as assembled in superposed relation. In this state, the slot 17a is engaged by the pivot pin 10 and the projection 21 extends above the aperture 22, and further the first retainer 90 is slightly spaced above the second retainer 91 by the plate springs 15, 15. In this case, the first retainer 90 is located by the spring 20 in such a position that the pivot pin abuts against the outer end of the slot 17a and the pin 13 is offset slightly inwardly from the circular hole 17b.

Now, the operation of the device constructed as described above will be described hereunder:

The magazine 1 is mounted on the turntable 5 being held stationary, with the central stud 7 of the latter being received in the hole 2 of the former, and then said magazine 1 is manually rotated, whereby the lock pin 3 is brought into abutting engagement with the curved portion 16a of the end of the first retainer 90. As the magazine 1 is further rotated, the first retainer 90 is caused 'to make a pivotal movement about the pivot pin 10, in the direction of rotational movement of the lock pin 3, under the force of impact given by said lock pin, so that the lever 11 of the second retainer 91 is opened with respect to the other lever 12, by the pin 19 on the first retainer 90, against the biasing force of the spring 14 and thus the shock given to said first retainer 90 is absorbed. At the same time, the first retainer 90 is caused to make a sliding movement by the lock pin 3 towards the pivot pin 10, against the biasing force of the spring 20. When the lock pin 3 has been located opposite to the recess 18, the first retainer 90 slides in the opposite direction under the biasing force of the spring 20, so that the lock pin 3 is received in the recess 18 and the lever 11 is returned to its original position by the action of the spring 14. The circular hole 171) is engaged by the pin 13 and the lock pin 3 is locked in a predetermined position by the first retainer 90. At the same time, the electric contacts 4, 4 on the magazine 1 are connected with the electric contacts 8, 8 on the turntable 5 respectively and thus, the magazine 1 is positioned on the turntable 5.

When the magazine 1 comes to stop, the first retainer 90 is rocked by the lock pin 3 under inertia of said magazine, but only to a minimum extent since the inner wall of the aperture 22 in the plate member 16 abuts against the projection 21.

Further, when the lock pin 3 is located on the end of the plate member 16 in mounting the magazine 1 on the turntable 5, the portion of the plate member 16 depressed by said lock pin 3 moves down as a result of deflection of said plate member, since said plate member is urged upwards by the plate spring 15, and the magazine 1 can be rotated in the horizontal state.

According to the magazine retaining device of the invention, the magazine 1 can be mounted in a predetermined position on the turntable 5, only by fitting the hole 2 of said magazine over the central stud 7 of said turntable and rotating said magazine. Therefore, the device of the invention is highly advantageous for use, for example, in the case when an exchangeable magazine is mounted on a turntable and rotated together with said turntable in an electrically connected state.

The magazine 1 can be rotated in the horizontal state and the lock pin 3 can be engaged in the recess 18, also when the lock pin 3 is located on the second retainer 91 in mounting the magazine on the turntable 5.

In rotating the magazine 1 after mounting it on the turntable 5, the lock pin 3 hits the plate member 16,

givin a shock to said lplate member, but the shock is absor ed by the lever 1 or 12 which is moved against the biasing force of the spring 14 as stated above. Therefore, the magazine can be mounted in an accurate position even if it is rotated with an unnecessarily strong force, and the device has excellent durability.

I claim: l. A device for retaining on a turntable a cylindrical magazine having engaging means on the bottom thereof, comprising first retaining means having at one end a portion adapted to engage said engaging means and at the other end a slot, and extending radially of the turntable; and

second retaining means provided on said turntable and supporting said first retaining means through a spring in such a manner that said first retaining means is movable in a radial direction, in a vertical direction and in a direction substantially at right angles to the radius of the turntable.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said engaging means is a lock pin fixed on the bottom of the magazine and said first retaining means is a plate member having at one end a slot for receiving a fixed pin on the turntable and at the other end a curved edge of a curvature greater than the circumferential curvature of the turntable and a recess formed centrally of said curved edge for receiving said lock pin.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member further has a hole formed therein at a location inwardly of said recess, for receiving a fixed pin on the turntable, said hole being not engaged by said fixed pin when the magazine is not mounted on the turntable but being engaged thereby when the magazine is mounted on the turntable and said lock pin is received in said recess.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member has an aperture at the central portion thereof and the aperture is loosely engaged with a stationary projection provided on the turntable and extending through said aperture, whereby the plate member is prevented from swinging over a predetermined angle about said fixed pin by the engagement with said projection. 1

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member has a projection on the underside thereof and said second retaining means is composed of two levers pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot pin on the turntable and spring-biased inwardly relative to each otherwith said projection interposed therebetween.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein spring means is disposed between said plate member and said turntable so that said plate member may beheld in an upper position when the magazine is not mounted on the plate member and in a lower position when the magazine is mounted on the plate member. I

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said spring means is a plate spring.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said plate spring is integral with the upwardly extending projection and an aperture for receiving said projection is formed in the central portion of said plate member.

t t i i i I 

1. A device for retaining on a turntable a cylindrical magazine having engaging means on the bottom thereof, comprising first retaining means having at one end a portion adapted to engage said engaging means and at the other end a slot, and extending radially of the turntable; and second retaining means provided on said turntable and supporting said first retaining means through a spring in such a manner that said first retaining means is movable in a radial direction, in a vertical direction and in a direction substantially at right angles to the radius of the turntable.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said engaging means is a lock pin fixed on the bottom of the magazine and said first retaining means is a plate member having at one end a slot for receiving a fixed pin on the turntable and at the other end a curved edge of a curvature greater than the circumferential curvature of the turntable and a recess formed centrally of said curved edge for receiving said lock pin.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member further has a hole formed therein at a location inwardly of said recess, for receiving a fixed pin on the turntable, said hole being not engaged by said fixed pin when the magazine is not mounted on the turntable but being engaged thereby when the magazine is mounted on the turntable and said lock pin is received in said recess.
 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member has an aperture at the central portion thereof and the aperture is loosely engaged with a stationary projection provided on the turntable and extending through said aperture, whereby the plate member is prevented from swinging over a predetermined angle about said fixed pin by the engagement with said projection.
 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said plate member has a projection on the underside thereof and said second retaining means is composed of two levers pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot pin on the turntable and spring-biased inwardly relative to each other with said projection interposed therebetween.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein spring means is disposed between said plate member and said turntable so that said plate member may be held in an upper position when the magazine is not mounted on the plate member and in a lower position when the magazine is mounted on the plate member.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said spring means is a plate spring.
 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said plate spring is integral with the upwardly extending projection and an aperture for receiving said projection is formed in the central portion of said plate member. 